“No. But I know at least two. And I have to say, I’ve only liked the naked one so far.”
“Is that why you’ve been avoiding me for the past week? Because you’ve been so busy thinking about all my other sides? Not just my naked one?” he whispered hoarsely, his eyes locking with hers. “Is that the problem? Did I not give you enough time to think before deciding you didn’t actually like me?”
She parted her lips — but no sound came out.
Good.
“As soon as you have to forgo orgasms, the fog in your head clears and you’re suddenly interested in my character?”
She snorted, her gaze becoming as cool as the wall she was leaning against. Lucas braced himself with his hand. “What kind of arrogant idiot are you?” she asked matter-of-factly. “Do you seriously believe you were so good in bed that you had such a lasting impact on my mind?”
“Yes,” he replied unperturbed. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was this: They had been so fucking compatible in bed that they had both blown each other’s minds. Otherwise, they never would have let the whole thing go on so long! “You seem to be forgetting something important, Anna: I was there.” He leaned toward her, trapping her body with his. “I remember every moan and every vibration of your body when you came against my lips. Every dirty word you just couldn’t hold back when I took you against the wall. Every orgasm that took your breath away. Every scratch on my back that I had to explain to my teammates. So I know how good it was. And fuck, I would never deny that. But it was sex. You never had any claim to theother sidesof me. And it’s over.”
“I know that, and I don’t care,” she replied stiffly, even as he recognized the blush along her cheeks. Even though her breasts,which brushed against his chest again with every fitful breath, were making him hard.
“Really? Because it doesn’t seem that way.”
She swallowed and pressed closer to the wall, but didn’t lower her gaze. “You’re mistaken.”
“Are you sure?” He slowly placed his other hand against the cool wall next to her head. “Absolutelypositive?”
Her breathing grew hectic and her pupils dilated, and his cock almost groaned as she parted her lips and licked them.
“You know your mouth says you don’t want anything from me anymore, that it was good that we ended it. But your body…” Slowly, he looked down at her. At her hoodie, which shouldn’t have given him such damned dirty ideas. Her jeans, which were hugging her hips tightly like his hands used to. “So it’s just another lie?”
“Another lie…?” she repeated his words, and he could practically read the wordassholeon her face. “Lucas, my body is no longer interested in you,” she said sharply, and the next moment, she shoved both hands against his chest. He stepped back. Not because she was strong enough to actually push him away, but because he’d made his point.
“Good,” he said contentedly. “Then we’re on the same wavelength.”
“Oh, please, we don’t even swim in the same ocean, Lucas,” she whispered. “And I don’t know why I didn’t notice before!”
“Why do you care?” he asked, shaking his head.
“Because I don’t know you at all!” she snapped.
Irritated, he frowned. “Wasn’t that the whole point?”
“Yes!” she cried, rubbing her forehead. “But I’m getting the feeling thatifI’d known you, I wouldn’t have slept with you — and I hate that thought. Because that means I made a mistake. That I misjudged you. That my brothers might be right that I can’t take care of myself. That I make reckless and stupiddecisions just to prove to them I can. And I hate that thought more than just about every word that’s come out of your mouth in the last week!” She pressed her lips together and took a step away from him. “But you’re right. What you gave me, any other man can give me.” She raised her eyebrows. “So maybe it’s time to find one.”
With that, she turned on her heels and disappeared around the corner.
Lucas watched her go, a bitter feeling rising in his stomach. Something stirred in his chest that wasn’t anger or irritation, but something else, something sharp that he didn’t like at all.
She wouldn’t have slept with him if she’d known him?
He lowered his gaze and stuffed his fists in his pockets. It was a good thing he didn’t care what she thought of him. That damned comment might have upset another man…
His cell phone rang and, grateful for the interruption, he took it out of his pocket. The name of the teenage girl who lived down the street and often babysat for him lit up on screen.
His heart clenched uneasily as he answered it.
“What’s wrong, Chelsea?”
“It’s okay, Mr. Moreau. Don’t worry. Melody says she can’t sleep without her favorite stuffed animal. I don’t know which one she means or where it is. She just keeps saying she wants Lulu.”
The corners of his mouth rose slightly as his pulse steadied. “That’s the eagle. The Hawks’ mascot. It’s probably under her bed. She always falls asleep with it, but then eventually throws it off.” She had named it after him.
“Ah, okay, great. Now I know. You’ll be home in an hour, right?”
